Twenty four Strollers met at South
Queensferry to cross the Forth Road Bridge and do part of the Fife Coastal
Trail to Inverkeithing. Some had a slightly longer walk to the starting point
as the bus driver let them off at the wrong stop.
Given the overnight rain, conditions were
actually ideal for going across the bridge - not much wind, not too hot and no
rain. With only buses and taxis allowed to use the bridge, it was nice and
peaceful though you could still hear a hum of noise from the new road bridge.
The views were worth crossing for as was the sight of three maintenance men
above our heads showing the Strollers the alternative route back!
It was then down the steps into North
Queensferry where the ferry from South Queensferry used to dock pre bridge
days. Onto the Fife Coastal trail where part of the path has been nicely laid
in brick and stone sets. We stopped at one of the many quarried sites for a
quick bite to eat and rest and to admire the house that had been built at the top
of the quarry. Stone from these quarries was used to build the docks in Leith
and Liverpool as well as the pavements of London. Pressing on down to the
water’s edge, we looked out to sea at the marker buoy where the seals were
sleeping. We then passed the plaque for Lieutenant George Paton who was killed
protecting his men from a grenade during a training exercise here in the First
World War and then continued on to Inverkeithing passing the site where the
breaker’s yard used to be that broke up ships like the Mauretania. There is
still a metal recycling plant there now which breaks up metal into tiny bits
and exports almost 200,000 tonnes a year.
We finished near the Ferrytoll Park and Ride
for some to get the bus back across the bridge and others to go off into Inverkeithing
for a spot of lunch.
